Push to tear down interprovincial trade barriers gains momentum

The push to knock down interprovincial trade barriers is growing in the Maritimes.

It’s a complaint heard often from Canadians struggling with interprovincial trade barriers.

“I can’t say how many times I’ve heard that it’s easier for me to access Alabama than Alberta,” said Jay Barber, a senior director of internal trade with federal government.

The longer the Canada-U.S. trade dispute drags on and all the tariff uncertainty grows, it only reinforces how critical it is for provincial trade barriers across Canada to be demolished.

“The situation is urgent,” said Angela Houston, Nova Scotia’s executive director of trade and economic policy with the Intergovernmental Affairs Office. “So, no more studies on internal trade, no more chasing down the list of internal trade barriers before we act. We need to take some risks and get real movement on this file.”

A panel discussion hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce examined how to knock down interprovincial trade barriers in the wake of the U.S. tariff dispute.

Those who attended the discussion feel the tariffs and trade dispute are already impacting businesses and slowing the economy.

“It causes them to stop investing, it causes them to stop hiring and that stoppage is a worrisome, we need our economy to keep expanding,” said Patrick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

Sullivan feels trade should move freely across Canada from east to west.

“We don’t need 14 different economies, we need one,” said Jeannine Ritchot, quoting newly sworn in Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Ritchot is the assistant deputy minister of internal trade and intergovernmental affairs with the Privy Office and was a speaker during the chamber event.

The federal government acknowledged Premier Tim Houston’s Free Trade and Mobility Act – which he tabled last month – as a strong move to open up trade to allow products and labour to move freely across provincial and territorial lines.

“That is why we’re so happy to hear Premier Houston’s ambition at that table and he’s been a real leader,” said Ritchot.

Those in Nova Scotia’s wine industry are looking for a better deal. They say other provinces have been allowed to export to Nova Scotia since 2015, but the agreement doesn’t go both ways – something they say has to change.

“If we can’t do it now (remove trade barriers), I don’t think we’ll ever be able to do it,” said Haley Brown, executive director with Wine Growers of Nova Scotia. “I remain hopeful but I believe we need to get this done before June 1.”

Provincial trade staff have a meeting with their federal counterparts in Halifax Wednesday.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page